Inquest into the Death of Yvonne HENDERSON

Inquest into the Death of Yvonne HENDERSON

Delivered on :25 November 2015

Delivered at : Perth

Finding of : Coroner Linton

Recommendations :N/A

Orders/Rules : N/A

Suppression Order : N/A

Summary : At the time of the deceased’s death she was an involuntary inpatient in the Mental Health Unit at Albany Hospital. The deceased had a long history of chronic delusions which greatly affected her ability to live a happy and safe life in the community. While remaining an involuntary inpatient, the deceased was granted repeated leave of absence from hospital, with a view to eventually releasing her back home as an involuntary patient on a Community Treatment Order..

On the day of the deceased’s death she drove to Albany police station to make a report, based upon her delusional beliefs. The deceased was known to the police and so this was not an unusual event for the deceased. Police and hospital staff were not alarmed by the deceased’s behaviour. Shortly after the deceased left the police station, she was involved in an accident which suggests she was in a distracted state of mind at the time.

The Coroner concluded that there was no evidence before the Court which supported the conclusion that the deceased intended to take her life at the time of the crash. The evidence pointed more strongly towards the deceased failing to pay due care and attention while driving and inadvertently putting herself in the path of an oncoming truck.

The Coroner found that the deceased died on 6 December 2010 at Princess Royal Drive, Albany as a result of multiple injuries and that death arose by way of Accident.